2. amps-preamps
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Greater knowledge of Agon community for streamer/pre-amp solution

Hopefully the greater experience of this group of audio enthusiasts can expand the range of options...
Single-unit streamer/pre-amp minimum requirements:
  • Streamer: stand-alone, NAS (FLAC and others), AmazonHD and native MQA
  • Connectivity: Wifi, Ethernet, Bluetooth aptX-HD
  • Pre-amp: for input selection and volume control
  • Inputs: coax SPDIF (for DVD-player), RCA (for other analog sources)
  • Outputs: coax SPDIF (for connection to input of miniDSP nanoDIGI)
  • Wireless remote
  • Front-panel display
  • PC/Android app control
Bonus for the following:
  1. Amplifier built-in (example: NAD M32)
  2. Phono input (example: NAD M32)
  3. Sub output(s) (example: NAD M32)
  4. Shows album art on front display (example: NAD M10/M33/M50.2)
  5. Balanced XLR in/outputs
  6. HDMI in/outputs (example: NAD M32 w/HDMI-2 MDC module)
  7. Roon endpoint capability (example: NAD M32/M50.2)
Examples that don’t meet requirements and why:
  • Bluesound Node2i: missing coax SPDIF input
  • NAD C388 w/BluOS2i: missing coax SPDIF output <-- what I have now (no coax output)
  • NAD M10 and M33: missing coax SPDIF output
  • Denon DNP-800NE: missing coax SPDIF output
  • Denon DRA-800H: missing coax SPDIF output
  • Marantx ND-8006: missing RCA input
  • Anything that doesn’t have AmazonHD integration
  • Anything that uses non-commercialized software, like Volumio-based things (ex: miniDSP SHD)
Examples that meet requirements:
  1. NAD M50.2: streamer/NAS/pre-amp
  2. NAD M32 w/BluOS: streamer/integrated

What other units fit these requirements?
128x128mwatsme
mwatsme's avatar
mwatsme OP
187 posts
 
BTW, NAD M32 will not pass BluOS signal through to the coax output - says in the manual.

Seems the next best option is getting Node2i (for AmazonHD streamer) coax output.

Until then, I added an HDMI-2 MDC module to my NAD C388 (now fully-loaded with MDCs), and have CD player connected to C388 by HDMI (for audio), and CD-player coax out is freed-up to be routed directly to nanoDIGI. Solves all issues, except AmazonHD cannot be routed to nanoDIGI. Which means it can be used for testing sound quality, but not normal listening with Bluesound app - for that, I’ll have to use the ML electrostats (for now).
shahram
116 posts
 
I think you’re going to need two boxes minimum to achieve all of that.

The Naim NDX 2 comes pretty close but doesn’t have the phono input. Also look at Ayre QX-5 and Lumin S1, U1.
mwatsme's avatar
mwatsme OP
187 posts
 
Thank you all for the recommendations.

Think I've solved the issue by adding HDMI-2 NAD MDC module, and plan to strip  the audio and convert to coax, which will feed the nanoDIGI. I have validated the stream does come out from the HDMI outputs of the MDC module - so looks hopeful so far.
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